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Inauguration ceremony: Frøystein Gjesdal, Rector at the Norwegian School of Economic, Helge Stormoen, Commissioner City of Bergen, Lars Walløe, President of Academia Europaea, Ole Hope, CEO Business Region Bergen), and Dag Rune Olsen, Rector at the University of Bergen (l.t.r.)

The Bergen Hub has been established through a joint agreement between the Academia Europaea and the regional partners (Hordaland County, City of Bergen, University of Bergen and the Norwegian school of economics- NHH) coordinated by Business Region Bergen (BRB).

The Bergen Hub had its Constitutional meeting 23 January 2014, and has had since three monthly meetings for the elected body BHAG (Bergen Hub Advisory Group). The Hub’s Academic Director (AD, Jan S. Vaagen) and Secretary (Vidar Totland, BRB) have monthly preparatory meetings with the Bergen Hub Chair (BHC) (UiB Rector Dag Rune Olsen, MAE).

The Academia Europaea Knowledge Hub Region Bergen will provide the national academies of science and letters in Norway with a European partner in Bergen. The focus of Academia Europaea’s hub in Bergen will be resources and expertise relating to the ‘Northern seas’ – Europe’s northern dimension.

The University of Bergen, the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), the City of Bergen and Hordaland County Authority are behind the establishment of the new knowledge hub Academia Europaea Knowledge Hub Region Bergen. Academia Europaea will focus in particular on knowledge relating to energy, seafood, maritime transport, international relations and resource issues in ocean areas in Northern Europe, including the Arctic. The region has thereby been assigned a European task that can also prove useful in relation to the Bergen region’s priority industries in future.

Academia Europaea Knowledge Hub Region Bergen is based on a Nordic model with European affiliation, and relations have already been established with Bergen’s twin towns – Århus and Gothenburg – which will be key partners. The universities in these two cities have a good tradition of linking up with businesses that represent the priority industries in their respective regions, such as Maersk in Århus and Volvo and Ericsson in Gothenburg. Funds have been built up around these institutions that form the basis for investment in long-term research. Knowledge Hub Region Bergen will provide opportunities for collaboration through projects to which these institutions will also contribute.

Academia Europaea Knowledge Hub Region Bergen is managed by a local project (advisory) group under the direction of Prof. Jan S. Vaagen (MAE, Academic Director), jans.vaagen@ift.uib.no.